Buck's Conversation
by newbiepeanut
Summary: Buck visits his lost love and fills her in on all the happenings in Four Corners. Not much has changed, as the Seven are still getting into and out of trouble. This is part of the Elements of time series I started in Chris' Legacy. Takes place 15 years after the end of the series.


"Mornin' Darlin. Sorry I'm a little late today. I slept in because yesterday was the boy's twelve birthday. Whooee, let me tell you, it was some shinding!" Buck settled his oversized frame onto the ground by the pine tree, leaning back and pulling out his canteen. These visit left him thirsty, since he did all the talking, but he wouldn't miss them for the world. Every week, rain or shine, he came here and filled in the love of his life on everything that was happening in Four Corners, and with their extended family. Mostly, though, he told her about Rosa, their little girl.

He glanced over at the headstone, wishing it was Inez smiling face, her warm body, and then pushed the thought away before he could break down. Seven years she had been gone and it still hurt.

"So," he cleared his throat and started again. "Like I said, it was a shinding. Seemed like the whole town was there. They weren't though. Ezra had the paper print up invitations and everything, inviting only who the boys wanted. 'Course, all of us were there. Wouldn't be a party without all of us together."

"The boys, they invited nearly everyone they go to school with. Only ones they didn't invite were the snooty ones, the ones I told about last week. The ones that called Nathan names. Everyone who was invited came, too. Between those kids, and all of ours, the place was over run with rugrats. Ez, bein' Ez, was in his element. He hired a band for dancing and spent a good part of the day entertaining those kids. I'm betting Vin will have a hard time getting that boy out of bed today."

"And the food! Lord, the food. Nora musta' been cooking for weeks, along with half the town. There were turkeys and ham and steaks, even a whole roasted pig! Josiah brought chili and Nathan and Raine brought tortillas. The food wasn't as good as yours, but it was still good. Not to mention the deserts. Lord, Vin and Ezra were in hog heaven! That skinny Texan musta' eaten two whole pies all by himself!"

Buck paused and took a long swallow of water, laughing slightly at the memory of Vin stuffing his face full of the different pies the ladies of the town had brought. Ezra hadn't been much better, eating the cake and cookies like a glutton. Considering how much those two boys ate, it was a good thing they spent so much time working with the horses. Otherwise, they would be as fat as the town banker. The man had to weigh 300 pounds, at least.

"You should have seen the haul them boys got, too. We all talked to Chris about what to get them, considering they were turning twelve. We didn't want to go overboard, or repeat ourselves, you know. Or step on Chris' toes."

"Chris, of course, got them the biggest present. Remember how I told you Chaucer's daughter, Sundance, was having babies. She had them last week. A set of the most beautiful colts I have ever seen. They look almost like Chaucer did. Chris, he gave one to each boy. He told them they would be responsible for the care and feeding of them, and, when the time came, their training."

"I thought those boys were going to bust their britches, they were so happy. And proud that their Daddy thought they were ready to train horses. Course, I think Ez and Vin will be helping. Knowing Ez, those horses will be doing the same dang tricks Chaucer use to do. Won't that be a hoot!"

The boys and I, we knew about the horses so we decided to go in and each get part of a true 'cowboy' outfit. Man, Chris' face when he heard Vin call his boys little cowboys. He was likely to shoot Vin. But the boys looked good. Josiah bought them their hats, 'cuz there was no way we were trusting JD with that job. You know he still wears that dang derby hat? Fifteen years out West and he still looks like a green horn!"

Buck knew it wasn't true. JD had come a long way from the boy who had tumbled off the stage, asking "is this the West." He had been Sheriff for fifteen years, lost friends, buried loved ones and become a man. A man Buck was proud to ride with. Teasing him about his hat was like Vin calling Chris 'cowboy,' or Chris teasing Ez about sleeping in late. It's what brothers did.

"JD bought the boys their shirt and pants, a couple of sets. We figured, with as many kids as he has, he didn't need to spend more. Did you know that Casey is expecting again? JD swears this is the last one. Me, I told him he needed to stop being such a randy fellow. Course, I wouldn't have said that if I had known BJ was standing right there. I thought JD was gonna shoot me. BJ, he asked me what I meant and I tried to get JD to tell him. Oh, no, that boy just looked at me and stood there, his hand on his gun. So I told BJ it just meant his Pa needed to stop kissing his Ma so much. And you know what? That little boy agreed. Seems he is always walking in on them kissing, which, to quote BJ, is yucky!" Buck laughed.

He wished he had a few more years of kissing Inez. Hell, even another day would do. But he was glad for JD, knowing that after nearly ten years of marriage, he and Casey were still happy.

"Ezra, being Ezra, decided he needed to tweak Chris a little so you know what he got them boys? Little black dusters. To go with the new one he got for Chris a few years ago. He said they could be 'The Family in Black.' Now Chris, Billy, Lin, and Jimmy all have matching dusters. You should have seen them walking down the road last night, all four of them with dusters flying out behind them! I think Ezra nearly ruptured a lung trying not to laugh. Josiah didn't even bother trying to keep from laughing, neither did Nathan. Vin just called them all 'cowboys.'"

"Vin, he got them Rifles. Winchester 1873 lever-action rifle, like the kind he and I carry. A couple of the greenhorns in town tried to tell Vin that those rifles were obsolete, that he needed to get the boys the new 1886 model. They wanted to sell Vin the new rifles. Vin, he just looked at them, looked at the new rifles and asked the men how many deer and men they had killed with the new model. They stammered for a couple of minutes and then Vin said, all quiet like, 'I killed me plenty of men with the 73 model, along with plenty of game. They work well enough for me.' I thought those greenhorns was gonna piss themselves. Vin may not have Chris' glare but he has the menace down pat."

"Nathan got them knives. No surprise. Bowies, along with a throwing sheath they can carry on their back, like he does. That boy may not seem mean, but he can be a menace. I hope he keeps them boys from slicing their fingers off. If they do, I bet he will just sew them right back on."

Buck paused again, taking another drink from his canteen. Talking about Nathan to Inez was always hard. Buck knew, without a doubt, if Nathan had been there when Inez started bleeding, she would still be alive. Nathan never would have stuffed Inez full of mud and grease and called it Western medicine. Damn doctor should have been shot! He was glad, though, Chris had kept him from doing so. The judge would have hung him and then where would Rosa have been?

He knew Nathan had blamed himself but Buck had never blamed Nathan, not even in his darkest moments. Nathan was the reason Rosa was alive. The doctor, after killing Inez, had looked at the two-month early baby and told them she would die. He had even gone so far to suggest putting her on the porch to hasten the process. Vin had to restrain Ezra from killing the man then. But Rosa had survived, thanks to Nathan. And now she was a strong, healthy girl full of life. And determined to give her Daddy a heart attack.

"Did I tell you what our little girl did? Ah, Inez, she is going to kill me. Josiah says that it is Karma for all the wild oats I sowed. Payback, is what Chris calls it. Seems our daughter has set her sights on Jimmy. She snuck up on him yesterday and gave him a birthday kiss. On the lips! Then she announced to everyone that they were getting married when she turns sixteen. Jimmy turned bright red and looked like he wanted to crawl in hole, but the boys nearly wet themselves laughing. "

"But what is she doing thinking of getting married! She is barely seven! She shouldn't be kissing boys, especially boys nearly twice her age!" Buck stood up, pacing. "What am I going to do?"

A gentle breeze blew through the graveyard, caressing Buck's face. For a moment, he imagined he could smell the soft lavender and rose scented perfume Inez had always worn. Peace settled in his heart and he smiled.

"You're right, querida. You always are. Rosa still sticks frogs in Jimmy's pants and thinks marriage means holding hands. I have a few more years before I need to start worrying about boys courting her."

Buck leaned and kissed the cross that bore his beloved's name. He whispered a gentle goodbye, picking up his canteen and starting back to the ranch house. If he had looked back, he would have seen the shadowy figure of Inez. She raised her hand and whispered, "Vaya con Dios, mi amor."


End file.
